Family Traditions

Precious husband and Challenge son spend the day working at the fire station.  For Precious husband this has become a regular routine, a family tradition, that he works the holidays.   We have spent many holidays sharing a meal with the firefighters on duty and their families.

This year the rest of us gather and celebrate Thanksgiving a bit differently.  Darling daughter and dear son-in-love have had the opportunity to meet several international students recently.  Most of them are college students here in the States to further their education.   A few have been here for less than a year.

We have the privilege of sharing Thanksgiving dinner with these new friends.  Everyone enjoys the traditional turkey along with sweet potato casserole, cornbread dressing, and the other usual trimmings.  We listen intently as the conversation flows and we overcome the language barrier. 

We discuss cultural differences as well as those things we have in common.  We focus on the things we have in common.  Things such as families gathering and generations preparing and sharing a meal together.   They will miss those things in the upcoming year as they are far from home.

I am thankful to have had the opportunity to have these kind people in our home.  I think we may have found a new family tradition.  Opening our home to celebrate with those who are far from home.